Every year November 19 marks the launch of the “Prince’s Day”, the national holiday of monaco, whose celebrations last three days. A celebration whose origins date back to 1857 and whose date, originally set November 4then continued to vary with each accession to power of a new prince. Poor changes the prince Albert II of Monaco an end in 2005, the year in which his father died Prince Rainier IIImaking him the new ruler of the Rock.

To pay understand this great variation in the date of the Prince’s Daywe must go back to its origin, in 1857. Prince Charles III of monaco creates this national holiday and prefers the date of November 4, not in reference to a historical date for the Rock, but because it is the day of Saint-Charles. On his death, his predecessor Prince Albert I fixed the Prince’s Day on November 15, St. Albert’s Day. And so on. Albert II Puts an end to this use, applying it to keep the date of November 19 activated by his father, Saint-Rainier’s Day.

Why the Prince’s Day instead of November 19?

To complicate the matter, certain princes of Monaco decided, on coming to power, to change the date of the Prince’s Day, without choosing that of their patron saint. Thus, in 1922, Prince Louis II of Monaco came to power. Problem: the Saint-Louis falls on August 25, in the middle of a period when Monaco is then in the low season and the shops are on vacation. Louis II prefers the date of January 17, Saint Anthony’s Dayin tribute to his daughter Princess Antoinette. Rainier III came to power on November 19, 1959, also Saint-Rainier’s Day. The sovereign chose that the event be celebrated on April 11, 1950, also making it a national holiday. From 1951, he fixed the Prince’s Day at November 19, the day of both Saint-Rainier and his accession to power. Prince Albert II’s decision to keep this date therefore made it possible, probably once and for all, to simplify a custom that was so far quite complex.

Photo credits: Bruno Bébert / Bestimage